Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Yesterday was not the most productive day. I started off strong but lost a lot of motivation midday....I blame the rain. Mostly though, I just really wished I was home curled up on the couch, reading. Guess not all days can be that day.

I had promised the girl a trip to the library, so we spent an hour or so last night poking around, watching the gerbils, reading, collecting stuff to check out. AND she was very excited and proud to check her books and DVDs out on her very own library card. *sniff sniff* Such a big kid. That reminds me; I had probably better make a note somewhere of when her things are due....seeing as they won't pull up on my login....otherwise this will just double the size of the fines I end up paying several times a year.

I had started and finished my book on Sunday, so I went after more books on the history of medicine/surgery. It's gory stuff, no lie, but I find the evolution of what human beings are capable of learning and how we apply those principles and the whole process of changing the scope of medicine fascinating. We'll see whether the other books I brought home hold up as well. I found a memoir which seems interesting and another book on the history of medicine on the American frontier; the book I just finished was written as a companion piece to a BBC series that I watched on PBS (Blood & Guts; I recommend but not for the faint of heart!).

I only wish I could read and knit at the same time. I had planned to work on Charlotte's sweater last night...I am finally at the point where I can add a second ball of yarn and begin knitting the Wallaby pocket in the front, which will take a bit of concentration. After putting her to bed though, I opted out of the knitting in favor of flipping through the copy of Beard on Bread that I found at the library. I was inspired by seeing Beth's copy a couple of weeks ago and am seeking out my own; this borrowed one will tide me over for a bit. I would like to bake some bread, soon...like today...

Of all the things today will bring, however, bread baking is not one of them. Today there will be reports and meetings, training and emails. I will hopefully be home by 7 or 7:30 and maybe will throw in some laundry. LOST will be on, then I will sleep. It's Tuesday, probably the most fleeting of my days and the one most likely to invite the insomnia. So the goals: get stuff done, spend time with the family, SLEEP.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

An unexpected opportunity to play with some friends popped up for the girl yesterday, so Pete took her to a playground a town over. I poked around for a while, not really feeling pursuing my plans. Still, a chance to get out there in the sun was not something to let slip away, so I headed off to the farmer's market.

There were fewer vendors, since the winter has ended and the stores of potatoes, onions, carrots, turnips, shallots and garlic are mostly depleted. But I could still find fresh bread, fish, meat, eggs, goat's milk and cheese....plus there were some crafters there with their wares. I loaded up with a loaf of anadama bread, 2 lb of haddock, 2 packages of frozen sausage, and some small yellow potatoes (which are really so so pretty- I should take a picture). And since I was alone, I had a better opportunity to talk to people, poke around. All in all, not a bad way to spend an hour or so....plus the walk through the greenhouse just to get to the market area was just full of heady fragrance and green...tulips and primroses, pansies and daffodils. I swear this fall I will plant bulbs for early spring bloom no matter what I do.

From there I hit the yarn store for a brief visit. I've been annoyed at my wristwarmers, largely because of the aforementioned problem (my fault) of running out of yarn. Fortunately for me, Margot did have more of the same dye lot. [Sometimes my luck is better than my procrastinating heart can hope for!] I also found a beautiful blue cotton...so soft...and despite the fact that I have FOUR separate knitting projects sitting on my couch, I bought two hanks of it. We have friends who recently had a baby boy...and I do love making wee sweaters. Almost instant gratification.

I took pictures, walking down Central:After dropping off the market stuff, eating lunch, and taking care of some stuff around here, Lou and I headed off again to (get this) get my car washed. It just felt like a good day to do that. A trip to Tuttle's did not yield what I needed to make dinner (why can't I find either Negro Modelo or ancho chiles in the Dover area?)...so we headed home.

I played with the camera......and then made dinner. I did the Beer-Braised Turkey Tacos from Food & Wine's March issue. It was a lot of work, probably more than the grilled salmon tacos in the same issue...and not quite as tasty. It could also be that I botched the sauce by trying to reduce it after I pureed the tomatoes/onions/jalapenos/garlic instead of reducing and THEN dumping it into the blap-o-matic.

Today I've been good for not much. Made some waffles, am avoiding the grocery list and the rest of the cleaning. Lou and I might go to Petco or do some crafty stuff after lunch. I think it's a sleepy day, despite the sun...Pete seems to have caught a cold...so I think another quiet Sunday might be what we need. Haddock, potatoes and peas for dinner- not exciting, but yummy local, comforting food. Ahh.

Friday, March 26, 2010

I had intended to write this entry before now, so much of it has flown from my cluttered head. I had been thinking about this winter- my attempts to resist the impulse to hibernate, the weird weather- and realized that while I am usually beginning my spring thaw by now, I'm not quite there yet. I think I need to shake things up...these things don't happen on their own, now do they?

The weekend ahead is supposed to be sunny, but a bit cold (30s and 40s). I am thinking that this is the perfect opportunity for working inside the house. Our collective and individual piles of stuff are out of control. Some organization is in order, some stashing of stuff not immediately needed in storage, some general cleaning. Trust me when I say that there is LOTS that needs to be cleaned. This Monday through Friday pace does not lend itself well to maintaining a clean house!

Being able to look around and see a clean and (mostly, let's be honest; it's still me) organized house will be so much more peaceful for me than glancing over and looking at this pile or that thing-that-is-dirty. So that's one thing.

And the winter farmer's market is this weekend too. I think it's the one close to home, and we haven't been in a while. The market always gets me inspired about food and cooking and growing...and it is time that we start thinking about the garden....

To get me over this early spring hump, where the ground still sleeps and the air still holds a chill, I'm going to take pictures of things I find beautiful, things that inspire me. I've been too bogged down. There's an entire world out there that I don't always see, whispering "open your eyes" as I speed along. I'm listening, I promise I am.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Fortunately for the kidlet, I was able to recover from my almost-fumble. We are locked and loaded for kindergarten, with only the doctor's office completion of the school's physical form left to add to what is now her file.

Today is a bit of a blur; even now I'm not sure how it all happened. Somehow though, possibly through some kind of time warp, I managed to resolve student issues, request refund checks, chase the Business Office manager (fruitlessly, I might add) for help resolving two of said student issues, register the Lou for school, drive to the other office, have one of my (many) weekly meetings, resolve more student issues.....and leave for home an hour late. Then I remembered the laundry detergent we didn't have. Sigh.

You can see why I'm a little manic. It could also be the giant iced coffee I drank at 2:00.

And now I am working, although sort of half-heartedly. I am sure I will regret this when I am ill-prepared for my 9:00 meeting tomorrow, in which I am scheduled to throw down with the Director of Admissions.

Monday, March 15, 2010

The darkness outside the windows when the alarm sounded this morning didn't surprise me. Why would it? This is the time of year, and to be honest I gladly trade daylight in the early morning for daylight in the evening. I was even cheerful about the time change yesterday, feeling as though it's a true sign that spring really is just around the corner. Despite the chill in the air, I crawled out of the warm flannel nest and headed off to start the day- coffee, stretching, treadmill.Maybe that's where it started.Everything has just been so damn difficult today, and it's only 9:00. I ended up feeling squashed by the exercise rather than energized. I had to wake everyone else in the house up a bit later than usual, which didn't make for happy people. Truthfully, all of the annoyances today have been just that- petty annoyances, nothing to get fussed about- and still my frustration threshold is really really low today. I drove to Portsmouth thinking about all of the things I didn't get done yesterday, thinking about the work week and things that I don't want to do (as in, major presentation to regional management, sort of a defend-your-life kind of thing, which I am co-presenting with my boss, who has in turn not shared anything he's written with me) and thinking about how badly I could use some time off. The more I think, the more frustrated and irritable I become.And still it rains. The wind blows the sheets of rain sideways, and the roads resemble what sailors look for on the surface of a body of water. I get wet getting cash from the ATM, wetter getting in and out of the car to pick up cough and cold medicine at the pharmacy. I have plans to meet a friend for lunch downtown today, and know that I will be wetter still after that. I can put all this into perspective...things can always be worse, you know? We didn't lose power again, the cellar is wet but not flooded, I have a job....today I just do not have the psychic energy to put on the happy face. I am having a bad morning, and I own that. And I know that tomorrow will be better. I refuse to have the same day two days in a row.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

I had the idea that I might get some stuff accomplished today...errands, cleaning, laundry....but have abandoned that plan in favor of laying low. What was a little cough yesterday has evolved into a full-blown cold today, and the last thing the kidlet needs is to be dragged to the shoe store, the yarn shop, the grocery store and wherever else. She's tired, and a bit weepy, so couch time and movies are in order. Coraline is on soon, and she really wants to see it...and to be honest I am not feeling 100% today either. I've decided to resign myself to the fact that my house will look like a tornado blew through it for the rest of the week, because I am not cleaning it up!

Some randomness from the past week or so:

Before hairAnd after.I'm still getting used to it...but I really like it. Next time I will convince her to make them more so (more bang-y; she really didn't want to give me the bangs in the first place).

This hatwhich has aggravated me off and on since November, is finally done. The bad news is that it's too big for my head and too small for Pete's. It's really beautiful, which is a great thing- I worked hard on all those one stitch cables, made it too big, blocked it, and then got frustrated and shelved it. The intended recipient got a different Christmas gift. Lasy week, I finally took it in for help ripping back, then redid all the finish work yesterday. Even after steam blocking it, I'm not happy for some reason. [Probably because I can't wear it.]

I'm working on a simple pair of arm/wristwarmers- I liked the last pair I made so much I decided I need a pair too! Of course, despite using the same yarn, same pattern, same needles...I am going to run out of yarn. Damn. Always pick up the extra ball...I know this! And yet. Thus the trip to the yarn shop...which now is not happening. I can work on Charlotte's sweater, or Pete's, or swatch for mine, so it's not like I don't have stuff to work on. I just really wanted those done before I moved on to the next thing.

This little personreally likes making potholders. She does not like finishing them (weaving the loose loops together), so I get to do that part. It hurts the hands! She's a smart kid to make me do it.